University Catalog 2024-2025

Science Education (BS): Biology Concentration

The Science Education: Biology concentration (BS) degree is one of five undergraduate degree options in the Science Education program in the Department of STEM Education. 

This degree program prepares teacher-leaders to have a deep understanding of the pedagogical strategies to teach high school Biology and other Life Science courses. Students complete courses focused on Biology and Science education, obtain relevant pedagogical experiences while immersed in rich field experiences in science classrooms, and emphasize teaching science with technology. Upon successful completion of the program, students are recommended for an initial North Carolina teaching license in grades 9-12. They will be able to seek employment opportunities in education and make a positive difference in their communities.

The goals and objectives of the BS degree in Science Education are:

  • To enable and ensure that each prospective teacher enriches his/her life through a comprehensive university education
  • To develop the professional qualities and academic background needed to teach science to all student levels in the grade for which the teacher is certified
  • To develop a general knowledge foundation upon which specialized professional knowledge is built, and upon which a well-rounded university education is the base
     

Coursework for the degree is divided into four types of knowledge:

  • General pedagogical knowledge — the nature of learners and general principles of instruction
  • Content-area knowledge — knowledge of the natural sciences
  • Pedagogical content knowledge — principles of curriculum, instruction and assessment directly related to the natural sciences
  • Context knowledge — understanding the culture of the school, community and society in which educational institutions exist and function
     

Students in this program also have the opportunity to participate in: 

  • Undergraduate research 
  • The student chapter of the NC Science Teachers Association (NCSTA), and other high impact experiences such as Passport to Success, SAY Village, and study abroad 
  • Outreach and tutoring in local schools
     

For more information about this program, visit our website

Contact

Department of STEM Education
North Carolina State University
208 Poe Hall, 2310 Stinson Drive
Raleigh, NC 27695

Matt Reynolds, Ph.D.
Assistant Teaching Professor
Undergraduate and MAT Program Coordinator for Science Education
NC State University 
Campus Box 7801
Poe Hall 326P
Raleigh, NC 27695
 
 

Plan Requirements

Orientation
ED 100Intro to Education 12
or ED 150/151 Students Advocating for Youth I
Communication/Advanced Writing
Choose from: 3
Public Speaking
Interpersonal Communication
Argumentation and Advocacy
Science Communication and Public Engagement
Literature and Medicine
Communication for Engineering and Technology
Communication for Science and Research
Analysis of Scientific and Technical Writing
(Biology BA double major choose ENG 331 or ENG 333)
Mathematics
Choose from:3-4
Elements of Calculus
Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A
Calculus I
Choose from:3-4
Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B
Calculus II
Introduction to Statistics
(Biology BA double major choose ST 311)
Sciences
BIO 181Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 24
BIO 183Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 24
CH 101
CH 102
Chemistry - A Molecular Science
and General Chemistry Laboratory 2
4
Choose from:4
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry I Lab 2
Introductory Organic Chemistry
and Organic Chemistry I Lab 2
PY 131Conceptual Physics 24
or PY 211 College Physics I
Earth and Environmental Science Electives 27
PB 360Ecology 24
or AEC 360 Ecology
GN 311Principles of Genetics 23-4
or GN 301 Genetics in Human Affairs
Life Science Electives 200+ Level 23
Life Science Electives 300/400 Level 27
(MB 351/MB 352 recommended but not required)
Advised Science Electives 26
Science Education
EMS 205Introduction to Teaching Science 32
EMS 373Instructional Materials in Science 13
EMS 375Methods of Teaching Science I 33
EMS 475Methods of Teaching Science II 33
EMS 476Student Teaching in Science 1, 410
EMS 495Senior Seminar in Mathematics and Science Education 1, 42
General Education and Psychology
ED 204Introduction to Teaching in Today's Schools 12
ELP 344School and Society 13
ED 311
ED 312
Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices
and Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices Professional Learning Lab 1
3
ECI 416Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms 13
EDP 304Educational Psychology 13
History & Philosophy of Science Education Elective3
Free Electives0-7
GEP Courses
ENG 101Academic Writing and Research4
GEP Humanities (verify requirement)0-6
GEP Social Sciences (verify requirement)0-3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts)3
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives (verify requirement)
GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement)
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
World Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
Total Hours120
1

A grade of C or higher is required.

2

A grade of C or higher is required for science content courses, up to two courses with a grade below a C is permitted

3

A grade of B- or higher is required.

4

Admission to the Professional Semester is required. 

 Earth and Environmental Science Electives

Choose from:
Introduction to Environmental Sciences
Earth from Space
Water and the Environment
Climate Change and Sustainability
Energy and Environment
Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections
Geology I: Physical
Geology I Laboratory
Introduction to Weather and Climate
Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory
Environmental Issues in Water Resources
Introduction to Oceanography
Geology II: Historical
Oceanography Lab
Geology II Laboratory
Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences
Introduction to Coastal Environments
Introduction to Coastal Environments Laboratory
Human Dimensions of Climate Change
Environmental Geology
Fundamentals of Air Pollution
Fundamentals of Air Quality and Climate Change

Life Science Electives 200+ Level

Any 200+ Level BIO, BCH, BSC, ENT, MB, PB, or ZO course
Any course from the list below:
Physiology of Domestic Animals
Reproductive Physiology
Reproductive Physiology Lab
Plant Genetics
Introduction to Forest Science
Forest Ecology
Forest Communities
Forest Wildlife
Conservation of Natural Resources
Marine Biology
Biology of Marine Mammals
Kingdom of Fungi

 Life Science Electives 300/400 Level

ANY 300+ Level AEC, BIO, BCH, BSC, ENT, GN, MB, PB, or ZO course
Any course from the list below:
FOR 339
Wildlife Management
Mammalogy
Marine Conservation Biology
Life on Earth: Principles of Paleontology
Ecology of Coastal Resources
Conservation of Biological Diversity

 Advised Science Electives

ANY 200+ Level AEC, BIO, BCH, BSC, CH, ENT, ES, MB, MEA, PB, PY, ZO
ANY GEP Natural Sciences course (except BIO 105/106, CH 111)
ANS 150Introduction to Animal Science3
ANS 205Physiology of Domestic Animals3
ANS 206Anatomy of Domestic Animals Lab1
ANS 220Reproductive Physiology3
ANS 221Reproductive Physiology Lab1
BIO 165
CS 211Plant Genetics3
ES 100Introduction to Environmental Sciences3
ES 111Applications of Environmental Sciences1
ES 150Water and the Environment3
FOR 252Introduction to Forest Science3
FOR 260Forest Ecology4
FOR 261Forest Communities2
FOR 264Forest Wildlife1
FOR 339
FW 353Wildlife Management3
FW 404Wildlife Habitat Management3
FW 405Tropical Wildlife Ecology3
FW 444Mammalogy3
FW 453Principles of Wildlife Science4
FW 460International Wildlife Management and Conservation3
NR 303Humans and the Environment3
NR 406Conservation of Biological Diversity3

History & Philosophy of Science Education Elective

Choose from:
Equity and Education
Scientific Revolution and European Society, 1500-1800
Rise of Modern Science
Science, American Style
Technology in History
History of the Life Sciences
Darwinism in Science and Society
Science and Religion in European History
Science in European Culture
History of American Technology
Philosophy of Science
The Scientific Method
Women and Gender in Science and Technology
Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society
Science and Civilization
Contemporary Science, Technology and Human Values
Darwinism and Christianity
Issues in Science, Technology, and Society

Semester Sequence

This is a sample.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
ED 100
Intro to Education 1
or Students Advocating for Youth I
2
BIO 181 Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 2 4
CH 101 Chemistry - A Molecular Science 2 3
CH 102 General Chemistry Laboratory 2 1
MA 121
Elements of Calculus
or Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A
3
ENG 101 Academic Writing and Research 4
 Hours17
Spring Semester
BIO 183 Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 2 4
CH 221
CH 222
Organic Chemistry I 2
or Introductory Organic Chemistry
4
MA 231
Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B
or Introduction to Statistics
3
Communication/Advanced Writing Req. 3
Choose from:
Public Speaking
Interpersonal Communication
Argumentation and Advocacy
Science Communication and Public Engagement
Literature and Medicine
Communication for Engineering and Technology
Communication for Science and Research
Analysis of Scientific and Technical Writing
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
 Hours15
Second Year
Fall Semester
AEC 360
Ecology 2
or Ecology
4
PY 131
Conceptual Physics 2
or College Physics I
4
Earth and Environmental Science Elective w/ Lab 2 4
GEP Humanities 3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
 Hours16
Spring Semester
ED 204 Introduction to Teaching in Today's Schools 1 2
EMS 205 Introduction to Teaching Science 3 2
EDP 304 Educational Psychology 1 3
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts) 3
Earth and Environmental Science Elective 2 3
Advised Science Elective 2 3
 Hours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
EMS 373 Instructional Materials in Science 1 3
ELP 344 School and Society 1 3
GN 311
Principles of Genetics 2
or Genetics in Human Affairs
3-4
History & Philosophy of Science Education Elective 2 3
Life Science 200+ Level Elective 2 3
 Hours16
Spring Semester
EMS 375 Methods of Teaching Science I 3 3
ED 311
ED 312
Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices
and Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices Professional Learning Lab 1
3
Life Science Electives 300/400 Level 2 4
Free Elective 3
 Hours13
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
EMS 475 Methods of Teaching Science II 3 3
ECI 416 Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms 1 3
Life Science Electives 300/400 Level 2 3
Advised Science Elective 2 3
Free Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
EMS 476 Student Teaching in Science 3, 4 10
EMS 495 Senior Seminar in Mathematics and Science Education 1, 4 2
 Hours12
 Total Hours120
1

A grade of C or higher is required.

2

A grade of C or higher is required for science content courses, up to two courses with a grade below a C is permitted

3

A grade of B- or higher is required. 

4

Prior admission to the Professional Semester is required.

Career Opportunities

Career Titles

  • Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
  • Biology Professor
  • Chemistry Professor
  • Elementary School Teacher
  • Environmental Science Professor
  • High School Teacher
  • Middle School Teacher
  • Physics Professor

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